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Radiation Emergency

A radiation emergency could come about due to a complete meltdown of a nuclear reactor core to our west, a catastrophic leak of material from nuclear weapons manufacturing facilities to our south, or as a result of a nuclear weapon being detonated in or around St. Louis, MO, or along the Ohio River valley between Paducah KY and Evansville IN.

Regardless of the source of the radiation, what you need to do in response is the same:

Get inside

Stay inside, and

Stay tuned

If you are indoors during a radiation emergency:

Stay inside. Close and lock all windows and doors. Go to the basement or the middle of the building. Radioactive material settles on the outside of buildings; so the best thing to do is stay as far away from the walls and roof of the building as you can.

If possible, turn off fans, air conditioners, and forced-air heating units that bring air in from the outside. Close fireplace dampers.

If you have pets:

Bring pets inside with you, if you can.

Bring indoors any supplies from outside that your pets might need for at least 24 hours.

If you are outside during a radiation emergency:

Get inside a building right away. If you can get to a brick or concrete multi-story building or basement within a few minutes, go there. But being inside any building is safer than being outside. Once inside, go to the basement or the middle of the building. Radioactive material settles on the outside of buildings; so the best thing to do is stay as far away from the walls and roof of the building as you can.

Carefully remove your outer layer of clothing before entering the building, if you can. Radioactive material can settle on your clothing and your body, like dust or mud. Once inside, wash the parts of your body that were uncovered when you were outside. Then put on clean clothing, if you can. This will help limit your radiation exposure and keep radioactive material from spreading.

Cover your mouth and nose with a mask, cloth, or towel if you must be outside and cannot get inside immediately. This can help reduce the amount of radioactive material

If you are in a car, bus, or other vehicle during a radiation emergency:

Get inside a building right away. Cars do not provide good protection from radioactive material. If you can get to a brick or concrete multi-story building or basement within a few minutes, go there. But being inside any building is safer than being outside. Once inside, go to the basement or the middle of the building. Radioactive material settles on the outside of buildings; so the best thing to do is stay as far away from the walls and roof of the building as you can.

Carefully remove your outer layer of clothing before entering the building, if you can. Radioactive material can settle on your clothing and your body, like dust or mud. Once inside, wash the parts of your body that were uncovered when you were outside. Then put on clean clothing, if you can. This will help limit your radiation exposure and keep radioactive material from spreading.

If you have loved ones in schools, daycares, hospitals, nursing homes, or other places during a radiation emergency:

Stay where you are! Going outside to get loved ones could expose you and them to dangerous levels of radiation.

Children and adults in schools, daycares, hospitals, nursing homes, or other places will be instructed to stay inside until emergency responders know that it is safe to evacuate.

Schools, daycares, hospitals, nursing homes, and other places have emergency plans in place to keep people safe at the facility.

If you are asked to let someone into your home or place of shelter after a radiation emergency for shelter:

Providing shelter to someone who was outside during a radiation emergency can save their life without endangering your own.

Ask them to remove their outer layer of clothing before entering the building or shelter. Once inside, ask them to wash the parts of their body that were uncovered when they were outside.

Then ask them to put on clean clothing, if they can. This will help limit their radiation exposure and keep radioactive material from spreading.

Global Wind Patterns

In the event of an actual release of radioactive materials many factors will need to be considered in determining where and to what extent the material spreads. Nevertheless, this site (https://earth.nullschool.net/) may be helpful in understanding global wind patterns.